By Ronna Fisher, Assistant Editor
For a third year in a row, Homecoming Weekend will include an arts festival which will feature the art and work of local artists, SNU alumni, staff, faculty, and students. This year there are a total of twenty-five groups or individuals participating in the festival.
The first two years featured a blend of students, alumni, local artists, and artists from out of town with an association with the university. The art has included mixed media, handmade jewelry, paintings, fabric art, photography, and glasswork. This year the show will also feature an artist working with iron.
Kendra Thomson, Executive Director of Alumni Relations, explains that the festival is way to highlight artists’ work in a fun way and build camaraderie within the campus and local community.
“It provides a great event for families during homecoming,” Thomson said. “Our goals are to highlight faculty/staff, student, and local artists in a fun, family friendly environment. We have live music, local food trucks, and this year we will have a few inflatables for the kids. While the festival is during homecoming, it is free and open to the public—we hope to continue to build our crowds from the community as well the campus.”
The coordinator of the festival, Greg Dimond, says, “While the young festival was created to enhance SNU’s homecoming weekend and to bring additional awareness to the university, our ongoing goal is to grow the event into something that benefits the surrounding communities, emerging artists, and all others with no formal affiliation to the school. I think we are on the way to realizing that goal.”
The Arts Festival is still fairly new, but it has had a lot of success. The crowds are growing each year and include a large percentage of locals. Often, the size of the crowd depends on the weather, but a large variety of music, food, and inflatables for kids can usually draw a lot of people.
In the past, the SNU Jazz Band has accompanied the art viewing.This year, festival attendees will be treated to a variety of local bands, some of which feature alumni or current students. The line up includes: Logan Henry, Red Vinyl Red, Briana Gaither, Tree Piece, Carousel Revolt, Costella, Bryan Patrick English IV, and Nathan Holliday Tribute Band.
The food trucks are sure to draw a crowd and include: Roxy’s Ice Cream, S&B Burger Joint, Taste of Soul Egg Rolls, Heo’s Kitchen, and Cupcakes to Go Go.
If the food, music and art do not bring you to the festival, then maybe the booths representing a good cause will. Speak Imel Theme House will be raising awareness about sex trafficking. Bee’s Knees is a group of Oklahoma artists that are co-sponsored by Youth and Family Services of Canadian County and AutismOklahoma.org that work toward self-sufficiency for adults with developmental disabilities. Jubilee Partners uses the funds from sales to help fight poverty in OKC communities through its partnerships with the City Rescue Mission, The Refuge, and First Indian Church of the Nazarene. Laura Hardee is raising funds for missions to Africa.
The festival is tomorrow, Saturday November 10, from 9 AM to 5 PM. It is free and will be located along College Street between 42nd and 39th Expressway.